The evaluation of heat therapy as a novel treatment for people with peripheral artery disease

This project provides an annual stipend of £19,237.

Funding Notes

Home and Overseas students can apply. Home fees are covered. Eligible overseas students will need to make up the difference in tuition fee funding.

Project Advert

Lower limb peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disease which affects hundreds of millions worldwide with mortality rates exceeding every other form of occlusive cardiovascular disease. One of the symptoms is severe walking induced leg pain, which reduces physical activity leading to reduced aerobic capacity, endothelial dysfunction, systemic inflammation and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Supervised exercise is one of the recommended conservative treatments for PAD, but many patients are not eligible, or do not take part due to low motivation, lack of facilities and disabling pain. It is therefore not an accessible or appropriate treatment for all patients. Alternatives are required for people who cannot or will not undertake exercise.

This studentship will assess whether heat therapy could be a beneficial intervention in people with PAD and assess patient and practioner acceptability. The successful student will have the opportunity to undertake a unique PhD studentship in collaboration with the vascular department at Manchester Foundation Trust. You will work in the world-class facilities at The Institute of Sport part of the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences.

Project aims and objectives

In people with PAD who have declined or are not suitable for supervised exercise, the aims of this project are to, 1) assess if whole body heat therapy improves clinically relevant, patient-centred outcomes, 2) determine the broader cardiovascular health benefits impact of heat therapy on cardiovascular risk factors in PAD, and 3) determine the acceptability of heat therapy to patients and stakeholders.

Specific requirements of the candidate

Home and Overseas students can apply. Home fees are covered. Eligible overseas students will need to make up the difference in tuition fee funding.

Essential

• Minimum of upper second-class BSc honours degree in a relevant degree such as sport and exercise science, human physiology etc.
• Experience of working with clinical populations and collecting human data
• Proficient in Microsoft office, specifically Microsoft excel

Desirable

• MSc in clinical exercise physiology (or other relevant discipline)
• Experience of working with patients with cardiovascular disease
• Evidence of engagement in research activities (e.g., managing a research project, publishing journal articles, conference presentations)
• Experience of using statistical and/or analytical software packages (e.g., SPSS, R, Tableau, Power BI, etc).
• Experience with relevant techniques such as phlebotomy and vascular ultrasound

How to apply

Interested applicants should contact Dr Amy Harwood for an informal discussion.

To apply you will need to complete the online application form for a full-time PhD in Sport and Exercise Science or download the PGR application form.

You should also complete the Narrative CV form addressing the project’s aims and objectives, demonstrating how the skills you have maps to the area of research and why you see this area as being of importance and interest. 

If applying online, you will need to upload your statement in the supporting documents section, or email the application form and statement to pgradmissions@mmu.ac.uk.

Closing date: 3^rd September 2024

Expected start date: January 2025

Please quote the reference: SciEng-AH-2024-BHF